Electronic cigarette

ABSTRACT

An electronic cigarette atomizer includes an air intake having an air intake opening stem mounted to slide relative to an air intake retainer. The air intake body extends from the air intake retainer. The air intake opening stem has an air intake opening. A valve plate is connected to the air intake opening stem. The valve plate is mounted to slide relative to the air intake retainer. A coupler is connected to the air intake. The coupler has a coupler body that is configured to attach to a power supply. A heating assembly is mounted to the coupler and has a heating element for producing a smoke or vapor. Optionally, the electronic cigarette atomizer further includes a valve opening located on the valve plate. The valve opening is in fluid communication with the air intake opening of the air intake opening stem.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of the electronic cigarette.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

An electronic cigarette generally has a heater portion heating acartridge held within the atomizer and a power supply portion. A typicalexample of an electronic cigarette is described in U.S. Pat. No.8,528,569 by inventor Newton issued Sep. 10, 2013 entitled electroniccigarette with liquid reservoir, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

In recent decades an increasing number of people became aware of thehazardous effects of cigarettes, some people ceased their habitsimmediately; however many others struggled to quit. Even though peoplerealized their health deteriorated because of tar found withincigarettes among other reasons, nicotine's addictive propertiesprevented them from stopping. Vapor inhalers, also known as electroniccigarettes were thus developed as an alternative solution.

Over the years vapor inhalers have been improved upon from its mostbasic function, which is to deliver gas through a hollow tube that canbe inhaled by a user. A variety of vapor inhalers exist such as Lik Hon,U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742, issued on Feb. 5, 2013, entitled AerosolElectronic Cigarette, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference. Hon teaches about an electronic cigarette with betteratomizing efficiency and aerosol effects to mimic real cigarettes. Theinvention has a shell and a mouthpiece, an atomizer, air inlet, andaerosol passage. Similar to the previously described patent is Lik Hon,U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,331, issued Mar. 12, 2013, entitled ElectronicAtomization Cigarette, which is disclosed herein by reference.

Other references include Yunqiang Xiu, Tucker (et al), and Nathan Terry(et al). Yunqiang Xiu, US publication number 2012/0204889 A1, publishedAug. 16, 2012, entitled Combined Multifunctional Electronic SimulatedCigarette is disclosed herein by reference. Xiu proposes an electroniccigarette comprising of an indicator, an aroma generator, smoke capsuleand suction hole. This invention provides users with aromatic gasesnicotine component and simulated smoke simultaneously; though, users maychoose a combination of the aforementioned functions. Tucker et al, USpublication number 2013/0192620 A1, published Aug. 1, 2013, entitledElectronic Cigarette is disclosed herein by reference. Tucker proposesan electronic cigarette, which comprises of a liquid supply, liquidmaterial, a heater, a wick, an air inlet, and a fibrous element. Thesecomponents work in conjunction to vaporize and ultimately deliver thevapor to the user. Terry et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,550,068, issued Oct. 8,2013, entitled Atomizer-Vaporizer for a Personal Vaporizing Inhaler isdisclosed herein by reference. Terry teaches about a vapor inhaling unitconsisting of a cavity that can receive a cartridge. The cartridgeprovides the substance for vaporization, but first must be atomized andthen heated before it a user can inhale the vapors.

Additionally many other inventors have individually contributed to theimprovements of vapor inhalers; the inventors are Steven Schennum, MarkScatterday, and Guocheng Pan. Steven Schennum, U.S. Pat. No. 8,495,998,issued on Jul. 30, 2013, is entitled Inhaler, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference. Schennum shows a handheld inhalercomprising of a canister, a first body that delivers aerosol to theuser, a trigger for releasing pressurized fluid from the canister. Thetrigger consists of a compression spring and cam that engages a pressuresensitive lever with a plate that releases the cocked trigger. GuochengPan, U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,622, issued Jun. 26, 2012, is entitledElectronic Cigarette, the disclosure which is incorporated herein byreference. Mark Scatterday, U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,959, issued on Sep. 24,2013, is entitled Electronic Cigarette Configured to Simulate theNatural Burn of a Cigarette, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference. Scatterday presents an electronic cigarette with atranslucent conduit and light chamber, allowing light from the lightsource to be diffused in such a way that the light emitted duringinhalation simulates the natural burn of a traditional tobaccocigarette. Pan describes an invention that has two tubes (connected byelectrical connectors), a power source, electric airflow sensor, andmost importantly a Single Chip Micyoco that controls the atomizationprocess. When airflow triggers the chip, the chip sends instructions tothe electronic cigarette to supply power through the electricalconnectors to the inhaler and atomizer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electronic cigarette heater and atomizer includes an air intakehaving an air intake opening stem mounted to slide relative to an airintake retainer. The air intake body extends from the air intakeretainer. The air intake opening stem has an air intake opening. A valveplate is connected to the air intake opening stem. The valve plate ismounted to slide relative to the air intake retainer. A coupler isconnected to the air intake. The coupler has a coupler body that isconfigured to attach to a power supply. A heating assembly is mounted tothe coupler and has a heating element for producing a smoke or vapor.Optionally, the electronic cigarette atomizer further includes a valveopening located on the valve plate. The valve opening is in fluidcommunication with the air intake opening of the air intake openingstem.

An air intake sleeve may have a sleeve wall defining a sleeve aperture.The sleeve wall has a sleeve edge that engages an air intake O-ringseal. The air intake O-ring seal is mounted to the air intake body. Thevalve opening can be located on the valve plate. The valve opening is influid communication with the air intake opening of the air intakeopening stem. The air intake further comprises a sleeve retainer. Thesleeve retainer retains an air intake sleeve, and the air intake sleevehas a sleeve wall defining a sleeve aperture. The sleeve wall has asleeve edge that engages an air intake O-ring seal, and the air intakeO-ring seal is mounted to the air intake body.

The valve opening is located on the valve plate, and the valve openingis in fluid communication with the air intake opening of the air intakeopening stem. The sleeve retainer has a sleeve retainer aperture formedon the sleeve retainer body, and the sleeve retainer further includes asleeve retainer grip having a sleeve retainer vent formed on the sleeveretainer grip. The sleeve retainer also has a sleeve retainer O-ringseal mounted to the sleeve retainer body, and the sleeve retainer O-ringseal engages a second sleeve edge of the sleeve wall. The air intake hasa sleeve retainer internal thread formed on a sleeve retainer, and thesleeve retainer internal thread engages with the coupler. The heatingassembly has a heating assembly external thread that engages thecoupler, and the heating assembly also has a heating assembly grip on anexternal periphery of the heating assembly. The heating assembly has aheating assembly vent opening. The coupler has a coupler shoulder thatextends from a coupler rim, and the coupler has a first coupler vent anda second coupler vent. The air intake also has a sleeve retainer havingan external sleeve retainer thread, and the external sleeve retainerthread engages the air intake body. The coupler has a coupler connectorthread that connects to a power supply.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the electronic cigarette.

FIG. 2 is a right side exploded view of the electronic cigarette.

FIG. 3 is a left side exploded view of the electronic cigarette.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the electronic cigarette including thepower supply.

The following callout list of elements can be a useful guide inreferencing the element numbers of the drawings.

-   20 Air Intake-   21 Air Intake Opening Stem-   22 Air Intake Threaded Connection-   23 Valve Opening-   24 Air Intake Retainer-   25 Air Intake Body-   26 Air Intake O-Ring Seal-   27 Valve Plate-   28 Air Intake Opening-   30 Air Intake Sleeve-   31 Sleeve Wall-   32 Sleeve Edge-   33 Sleeve Aperture-   40 Sleeve Retainer-   45 Sleeve Retainer Aperture-   41 Sleeve Retainer Body-   42 Sleeve Retainer Grip-   43 Sleeve Retainer Vent-   44 Sleeve Retainer O-Ring Seal-   46 Sleeve Retainer Internal Thread-   50 Heating Assembly-   51 Heating Assembly External Thread-   52 Heating Assembly Heating Element-   53 Heating Assembly Grip-   58 Heating Assembly Vent Opening-   60 Coupler-   61 Coupler Body-   62 First Coupler Vent-   63 Internal Heating Assembly Thread-   64 External Sleeve Retainer Thread-   65 Coupler Rim-   66 Second Coupler Vent-   67 Coupler Shoulder-   68 Coupler Connector Thread-   70 Power Supply-   71 Led Tip-   72 Battery-   73 CPU-   74 Power Supply Connector-   75 Push Button

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An electronic cigarette is typically made of an electronic cigaretteheater and atomizer and a power supply. The present invention heater andatomizer can be used for heating a nicotine liquid, however the presentinvention heater and atomizer also be used for combusting tobacco byheating the tobacco directly to create smoke. The electronic cigaretteatomizer is generally connected to a power supply that has arechargeable battery and an electronic power controller operated by amicrochip. The power supply has a threaded connection that connects tothe electronic cigarette atomizer. The power supply and electroniccigarette atomizer are both generally cylindrical in shape. The tip ofthe power supply may have an LED light that simulates the look of alighted cigarette or cigar. The power supply delivers power when a userpresses a button, or the power supply can be automatically activatedwhen a user takes a drag on the electronic cigarette. The power isgenerally a low voltage power that is delivered to the heating assembly.The heating assembly 50 is held by the coupler 60. The coupler 60connects to the power supply and to the sleeve retainer 40. The sleeveretainer 40 and the air intake 20 cooperate to retain an air intakesleeve 30. The heating assembly 50 is a hot coil or other metal piecethat heats up from electrical resistance heating.

The user takes air through an air intake opening 28 that is located onthe air intake opening stem 21. The air intake opening stem 21 is ahollow straw shaped mouthpiece that can be flared for oral comfort. Theair intake opening 28 is preferably round and passing through length ofthe air intake opening stem 21. The air intake opening 28 communicatesthrough the air intake 20 from the tip of the air intake opening stem 21down to the air intake threaded connection 22. The air intake threadedconnection 22 connects to the sleeve retainer 40. The air intakethreaded connection 22 surrounds a valve plate 27. The valve plate 27 isrigidly connected to the air intake opening stem 21. The air intakeopening 28 extends through to the valve opening 23. The valve opening 23can have multiple small openings such as the four pictured in FIG. 3.The air intake 20 is generally mounted on an air intake retainer 24 andhaving an air intake body 25.

The air intake also has an air intake O-ring seal 26 that is mountednear the air intake retainer 24. The air intake retainer 24 has a gripsurface and an opening for receiving the air intake opening stem 21. Theair intake opening stem 21 is mounted on a spring within the air intakeretainer 24. The bias can be made as a helical coil spring, leaf springor magnetic attraction. The spring biases the air intake opening stem 21into a closed position. In closed position, the air intake opening 28has an air passage that passes through it and connects to the valveopening 23. When a user presses down on the air intake opening stem 21,the air intake opening stem translates relative to the air intakeretainer 24. The air intake opening stem 21 is connected to the valveplate 27 which moves toward the heating assembly heat element 52.Movement of the valve plate 27 ejects the cartridge or tobacco from theatomization chamber. The valve plate 27 appears as a disk that ismounted to the air intake opening stem 21. The diameter of the diskmatches the internal diameter of the sleeve retainer 40 so that theinternal walls of the sleeve retainer 40 can be scraped clean with eachdepression of the air intake opening stem 21. The atomization chamber isformed on an inside cavity of the sleeve retainer 40. The user can pressthe air intake opening stem 21 multiple times so that the user can clearor clean the atomization chamber without tools.

The air intake body 25 is a generally elongated tube. The air intakeO-ring seal 26 can be mounted to a groove formed on the air intake body25. The air intake body 25 has the air intake threaded connection 22formed on the external surface of the air intake body 25. The air intakebody 25 extends from the air intake retainer 24 and is preferablycoaxial to the air intake retainer 24. The helical spring can be mountedwithin the air intake body 25.

The air intake sleeve 30 has a sleeve wall 31. The sleeve wall 31 has asleeve edge 32. The sleeve edge 32 is circular and connects to the airintake O-ring seal 26 on an inside surface of the sleeve edge 32 and onan outside surface of the air intake O-ring seal 26. The sleeve aperture33 is of greater diameter than the air intake body 25 such that an airgap is formed between the sleeve aperture 33 and the air intake body 25.The air intake sleeve can be glass so that a user holding the air intakesleeve will be insulated from a hot stream of air vapor passing throughthe air intake body 25. The air intake sleeve can be made of clearplastic as well such that it is transparent. The sleeve edge 32 facingthe sleeve retainer 40 seals against the sleeve retainer O-ring seal 44.

The sleeve retainer 40 as a generally cylindrical sleeve retainer body41 which extends from a sleeve retainer grip 42. The sleeve retainerO-ring seal 44 is mounted on an external surface of the sleeve retainerbody 41, preferably at a groove located at the base of the sleeveretainer body 41 were the sleeve retainer body meets the sleeve retainergrip 42. The sleeve retainer grip 42 preferably has at least one sleeveretainer vent 43 that allows an intake of air through the sleeveretainer vent. The sleeve retainer aperture as an internal thread thatfaces and engages the air intake threaded connection 22. The sleeveretainer aperture may retain a nicotine cartridge for heating up by theheater. The sleeve retainer internal thread 46 can also be located on aninside surface of the sleeve retainer grip 42. The sleeve retainerinternal thread 46 preferably engages with the coupler 60.

The heating assembly 50 is a replaceable module that can be replacedwhenever the heating coil burns out. The heating assembly 50 has anexternal heating assembly thread 51 that connects the heating assemblyheat element 52 the coupler 60. The external heating assembly thread 51engages with the internal heating assembly thread 63 as a user turns theheating assembly 55 the heating assembly grip 53. The heating assemblyhas a heating element 52 located in the middle of the heating assembly.The heating assembly 50 may also have a heating assembly vent opening 58which allows airflow to the heating assembly. The heating assembly heatelement 52 is in the middle of the heating assembly 50 and is preferablya resistance heated coil.

The coupler 60 connects to the heating assembly 50, the sleeve retainer40 and the power supply. The coupler 60 has a coupler body 61 that isgenerally cylindrical. The coupler body has a first coupler vent 62 anda second coupler vent 66. The coupler 60 has an internal heatingassembly thread 63 that engages the heating assembly external thread 51.The coupler also has an external sleeve retainer thread 64 that engagesthe sleeve retainer internal thread 46 of the sleeve retainer 40. Thecoupler 60 and the other parts of the electronic cigarette arepreferably made of stainless steel, with the air intake sleeve 30 beingmade of glass. The coupler 60 also has a coupler rim 65 that has asmaller diameter than a coupler shoulder 67 of the coupler 60. Thecoupler rim 65 is a tubular projection from the coupler shoulder 67. Thecoupler rim 65 has an internal threaded surface that forms the internalheating assembly thread 63 and the coupler rim 65 has an externalthreaded surface which is the external sleeve retainer thread 64. Thecoupler connection thread 68 is located opposite the coupler rim 65 andthe coupler connection thread 68 is configured to connect to a powersupply.

A user loads a tobacco or cartridge into the area near the heatingelement 52. The cartridge is placed in the sleeve retainer 40 which hasa sleeve retainer aperture 45 that forms a hollow chamber for receivingthe cartridge. The cartridge is a cylindrical pellet that has a housingand a wick such as a cotton or synthetic fiber that can hold a liquid orgel. Alternatively, the cartridge can also be a lump of tobacco. Theliquid or gel can contain nicotine or a drug for inhaling. The user cangrip the sleeve retainer grip 42 and the air intake retainer 24 grip andunscrew the electronic cigarette atomizer. Once loaded, the userconsumes the cartridge or tobacco by atomizing or combusting itscontents with the application of heat via the heating assembly heatelement 52. The vapor exits the atomization chamber, which is the sleeveretainer aperture 45 at the valve plate 27 which can be controlled by auser from a closed position to an open position. In closed position, thevapor may only exit through the small valve opening 23, but when in openposition, the vapor can pass around the valve plate 27 and into the airintake body 25 and accordingly through the air intake opening 28. Whilethe physical process of atomizing versus combusting are notablydifferent, the words ‘atomizing’ and ‘combusting’ may as well be usedinterchangeably because of the dual fuel capability of this electroniccigarette.

The power supply 70 generally includes a housing having a battery 72held within the housing. A CPU 73 may control the power supply, and apushbutton 75 can be used for manually operating the power supply. Thetip of the power supply can have an LED tip 71 that lights up toindicate battery draw and stimulate a lighted cigarette or cigar. Thepower supply connector 74 can be externally threaded to allow a threadedconnection with the internal coupler connection thread 68 of the coupler60. The battery makes an electrical circuit with the electricalresistance heater and CPU.

Airflow is controlled by the vents and passages through the electroniccigarette. The first coupler vent 62 and the second coupler vent 66allow a primary airflow to enter a gap in the electronic cigarettebetween the power supply and coupler. The air can then pass through theheating coil or the heating assembly heating element 52 via the heatingassembly vent opening 58 to be heated from a cold to a hot state at aheating coil. The air can then continue through to atomize a nicotineliquid suspended in a cartridge. Additionally, a secondary airflow canenter the electronic cigarette through a sleeve retainer vent 43 whichallows air to enter the electronic cigarette without passing through theheating assembly heating element 52. The secondary airflow that intakesthrough the sleeve retainer vent 43 is fed to the side of the heatingassembly heating element 52. Preferably, a pair of sleeve retainer ventsallow a secondary or supplemental airflow to pass along a side of theheating coils so that there is air passing through the heating coils andalso air passing alongside the heating coils. The supplemental orsecondary airflow mixes with the primary airflow immediately ahead ofthe heating coil to provide a mixed airflow that heats the nicotineliquid. The user can cover one or more of the primary or secondary airholes with a finger to change the proportion of airflow and consequentlythe temperature of the mixed airflow airstream. All of the ventsincluding the sleeve retainer vent 43, the first coupler vent 62, thesecond coupler vent 63 and the heating assembly vent opening 58 areorthogonal to the common coaxial axis of the electronic cigarette.

1. An electronic cigarette comprising: a. an air intake having an airintake opening stem mounted to slide relative to an air intake retainer,wherein an air intake body extends from the air intake retainer, whereinthe air intake opening stem has an air intake opening; b. a valve plateconnected to the air intake opening stem, wherein the valve plate ismounted to slide relative to the air intake retainer; c. a couplerconnected to the air intake, wherein the coupler has a coupler body thatis configured to attach to a power supply; d. a heating assembly mountedto the coupler and having a heating element for producing a smoke orvapor.
 2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, further comprising avalve opening located on the valve plate, wherein the valve opening isin fluid communication with the air intake opening of the air intakeopening stem.
 3. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, further comprisingan air intake sleeve, wherein the air intake sleeve has a sleeve walldefining a sleeve aperture, wherein the sleeve wall has a sleeve edgethat engages an air intake O-ring seal, wherein the air intake O-ringseal is mounted to the air intake body.
 4. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 3, further comprising a valve opening located on the valve plate,wherein the valve opening is in fluid communication with the air intakeopening of the air intake opening stem.
 5. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 1, wherein the air intake further comprises a sleeve retainer,wherein the sleeve retainer retains an air intake sleeve, wherein theair intake sleeve has a sleeve wall defining a sleeve aperture, whereinthe sleeve wall has a sleeve edge that engages an air intake O-ringseal, wherein the air intake O-ring seal is mounted to the air intakebody.
 6. The electronic cigarette of claim 5, further comprising a valveopening located on the valve plate, wherein the valve opening is influid communication with the air intake opening of the air intakeopening stem.
 7. The electronic cigarette of claim 6, wherein the sleeveretainer has a sleeve retainer aperture formed on the sleeve retainerbody, wherein the sleeve retainer further includes a sleeve retainergrip having a sleeve retainer vent formed on the sleeve retainer grip.8. The electronic cigarette of claim 7, wherein the sleeve retainerfurther includes a sleeve retainer O-ring seal mounted to the sleeveretainer body, wherein the sleeve retainer O-ring seal engages a secondsleeve edge of the sleeve wall.
 9. The electronic cigarette of claim 1,wherein the air intake further comprises a sleeve retainer internalthread formed on a sleeve retainer, wherein the sleeve retainer internalthread engages with the coupler.
 10. The electronic cigarette of claim1, wherein the heating assembly has a heating assembly external threadthat engages the coupler, wherein the heating assembly also has aheating assembly grip on an external periphery of the heating assembly.11. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the heating assemblyhas a heating assembly vent opening.
 12. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 1, wherein the coupler has a coupler shoulder that extends from acoupler rim, wherein the coupler has a first coupler vent and a secondcoupler vent.
 13. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the airintake further comprises a sleeve retainer having an external sleeveretainer thread, wherein the external sleeve retainer thread engages theair intake body.
 14. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein thecoupler has a coupler connector thread that connects to a power supply.